Timelines/Second
Known events in the second timeline Before Nosgoth's recorded history (Accountable span of several millennia; minimum of 3000 years)'Janos Audron reveals in ''Blood Omen 2 that the Vampire-Hylden war lasted at least 1000 years, and states in Soul Reaver 2 that, ever since his race died out, he had been guarding the Reaver alone for "thousands of years" (minimum of 2000), accumulating to a minimum 3000 year span for the era before Nosgoth's recorded history. The remaining eras add up to roughly 3000 years. If both of Janos's estimates also apply to other timelines, this results in a calculable minimum total of 6000 accountable years of Nosgothic history. *At an indeterminate point in this era, an ancient, primitive cult commences its worship of the Elder God, building a statue representative of the Elder beneath the Swamp. Chris@Crystal's Greatest Hits at the Eidos Forums (by Divine Shadow) *The '''Vampire-Hylden war: The Ancient vampires battle an inhuman enemy race in an apocalyptic war for domination of Nosgoth. *The Genesis of the Pillars: The ancient vampires erect the nine Pillars of Nosgoth to banish their enemies. The Pillars are intrinsically tied to the spiritual and physical health of all Nosgoth. Soul Reaver 2: Historical Timeline at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) GLoK Interviews with Amy Hennig at Nosgothic Realm (by Raziel Fan), post #5 (by RazielFan) The ancient vampires construct the Subterranean Pillars Chamber. *The ancient vampires are afflicted with a predatory blood-thirst. *The summoning of the Guardians: The first Circle of Nine are assembled, forming the Circle of Nine. The nine original Guardians swear to protect, represent and serve their individual Pillars. When a Guardian dies, the Pillars cull a successor, destined from birth to fulfill their role. The Pillars at the Soul Reaver 2 official site *'The forging of the Reaver:' The Reaver is forged.Vorador's birth and turning is positioned after the forging of the Reaver in the version of Nosgoth's chronology released with September 2000's Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (covering the second timeline), despite the Legacy of Kain: Defiance (fourth timeline) revelation that Vorador himself forged the Reaver. Defiance production materials also refer to this. *Janos Audron significantly grows in renown, and ultimately becomes known as "the greatest vampire to have ever existed". *Vorador is born. *Vorador is sired by Janos Audron, and becomes a vampire. *("Thousands of years" before the [[History preceding Blood Omen|history preceding ''Blood Omen]]) Presumably, the Dark and Light Forges are constructed by the ancient vampires. They are sealed and forbidden to all but the prophesied bearer of the Reaver. *The ancient vampires' civilization crumbles. Their bloodline trickles away, until Janos Audron is left the sole surviving member of his original race. *During this era, Moebius, the Guardian of Time, and Mortanius, the Guardian of Death, are presumably born. The Players at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) Nosgoth's early history '(Span of ~450 years)' *At indeterminate points before or at the start of this era, the human Guardians of Balance, Conflict (Malek), Martyred Guardian of Dimension, Energy, the Mind, Nature and States, who will actively serve during Vorador's later attack on the Circle of Nine, are born. *At an indeterminate point before or during this era, a small cult devoted to a mysterious god - connected to tales of human possession - begins operating. *Nosgoth's vampire population increases, incurring the attention of the Circle. *Headquartered at the Sarafan Stronghold, the Circle of Nine forms and sponsors the monastic Sarafan brotherhood to counter the vampire menace. Malek serves as its leader and general. Interview With a Vampire: Blood Omen 2 at IGN (by Douglass C. Perry) *(~30-40 years before ~0)'' The human Turel is born. Some questions about SR2 Sarafan at DCabDesign (by Lexy), post #3 (by Daniel Cabuco) **''(Afterwards, but during the same approximate timeframe)'' The humans Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab and Zephon are born. **''(Afterwards, but during the same approximate timeframe)'' The human Raziel is born. *Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab, Raziel, Turel and Zephon join the Sarafan, and are trained to be devoutly loyal to the Circle of Nine. **The six become the commanding commanders of the brotherhood. *'The vampire purge': The Sarafan wage war on Nosgoth's vampires. Malek leads the brotherhood to many victories, killing thousands of the vampire race. Several of Vorador's friends, lovers and vampire children are slain, but he and Janos Audron elude their attacks. *Janos Audron is murdered by the Sarafan. His heart, the Heart of Darkness, is ripped from his chest and later pronounced a relic. *''(~0)'' The slaughter of the Circle: Vorador fights back against the human Circle of Nine for their sponsorship of the Sarafan, infiltrating the Sarafan Stronghold and killing the Balance, Dimension, Energy, Mind, Nature and States Guardians. He battles, defeats and humiliates their protector, Malek. **Six new Guardians are born (variously Anarcrothe, Ariel, Azimuth, Bane, DeJoule and Nupraptor, or unseen predecessors to them). **Dumah, Melchiah, Rahab, Raziel, Turel and Zephon die in combat. *In Avernus Cathedral, Mortanius punishes Malek for his failure, fusing Malek's soul to a suit of magical armor. Malek is condemned to serve as the unliving Ward of the Circle. *The corpses of the six martyred Sarafan commanders are interred in the Tomb of the Sarafan. *The ongoing vampire purges force Vorador into hiding. He becomes lost to Nosgoth, ensconsing himself in his mansion in the Termogent Forest. *''(Long before ~450)'' The Sarafan disband, and their crusade ceases. Pre-Blood Omen era (Span of ~50 years) *''(Years before ~0)'' William the Just is born. At a young age, he inherits rulership of a kingdom in northern Nosgoth. *Moebius attempts to rally the villagers loyal to William, and secures an audience with the king. *''(~0)'' → Using his time-streaming device, Kain departs the [[Events of Blood Omen|events of Blood Omen]], emerging here, nearly 50 years in the past. **Kain travels to William's kingdom, intending to kill William on advice from the Oracle (Moebius). **In the stronghold of William the Just, Kain watches as Moebius provides William with the Soul Reaver and other weapons, and warns William of a vampire sent to slay him. ** The [[first paradox|'first paradox']]: Kain attempts to slay William in battle. Both combatants are armed with incarnations of the Soul Reaver. ** Kain succeeds in slaying William, and drinks his Blood. Kain's Soul Reaver breaks William's in the battle. After being discovered as the assassin, Kain finds a second time-streaming device, and returns to his own time in the Blood Omen era. → *Devastated by William's murder, the people of William's realm swear a vengeful covenant to their fallen king, promising to eradicate Nosgoth's vampires once and for all. **Eventually, most of Nosgoth's human citizens ascribe to the same genocidal hatred of vampires. *''(~10)'' Under Moebius's leadership, Vampire hunters is formally founded, operating from the former Sarafan Stronghold. **The mercenary army heads a renewed, highly-successful vampire purge. William's corpse is taken to the Sarafan Stronghold, and is beatified in a dedicated chapel with the broken Soul Reaver. *Mortanius is possessed by the Dark Entity. Miscellaneous Questions & Answers at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) *''(~20)'' → The Elder Kain emerges from the [[Events of Soul Reaver|events of Soul Reaver]], and makes his way to the Pillars, to await Raziel. ** Moebius snatches Raziel from the time-stream, and conveys him to the time-streaming chamber in the Sarafan Stronghold. Moebius attempts to fuel Raziel's hatred for Kain and the vampires. ** In William's chapel, Raziel discovers the broken Soul Reaver, causing a Reaver-convergence. The Wraith Blade leeches Raziel's soul energy to restore the damaged physical sword. Raziel threatens Moebius with the Soul Reaver, but stays his hand, and leaves the reconstituted weapon behind. ** Before leaving the Stronghold to meet Kain at the Pillars, Raziel encounters a mural recording the life of Janos Audron, demonizing him as a predator who terrorized Uschtenheim's population. **Possessing Mortanius's body, the Dark Entity murders Ariel. Kain, her successor as Guardian of Balance, is born to an aristocratic family. ** The corruption of the Pillars: Nupraptor, Ariel's lover, finds her corpse and realises that Mortanius was responsible for her death. Overwhelmed with grief and suspicions of treachery, Nupraptor plunges into madness, unleashing a psychic onslaught directed at the entire Circle of Nine. Throughout all Nosgoth, the minds of the sensitive and intellectual are blasted by waves of hatred. The Circle is permanently left mentally corrupted, and the Pillars physically crack and corrode. Raziel and the Elder Kain both witness this event from the Pillars' clearing. ** Using the Wraith Blade, Raziel unlocks the Subterranean Pillars Chamber for the first time in centuries, and discovers the ancient vampires' murals within. He meets the Elder God again, who insists that he destroy Kain and the vampires. ** In the Swamp, Raziel solves the Dark Forge to obtain the Dark Reaver, and meets Vorador. They discuss the vampire purges, the corruption of the Pillars, the Reaver, and Janos Audron. ** On his return journey to the Stronghold, Raziel begins to denounce the Elder God. He solves the Light Forge, and obtains the Light Reaver. ** The [[second paradox|'second paradox']]: At William's chapel, Raziel meets the Elder Kain, and takes up the Soul Reaver. A Reaver-convergence begins. Here, Raziel is destined to murder Kain. ***»» This timeline is derailed and dies, spawning the altered third timeline. »»» **Raziel kills the Elder Kain with the Soul Reaver at the chapel, and history proceeds as normal. *Ariel's specter begins to haunt the Pillars of Nosgoth. *The insane and deranged Guardians unleash their powers against Nosgoth, with malicious intent. Anarcrothe, Bane and DeJoule create the Dark Eden. Azimuth begins indiscriminately summoning malevolent demons and creatures in numerous cities, leaving the populace at their mercy. Nupraptor practices self-mutilation, sewing his own eyes and lips shut, and terrorizes pilgrims who journey to his retreat near Vasserbünde. Legacy of Kain: The Plot at SK: The Complete Guide To Legacy of Kain (archived at Dark Chronicle) Soul Reaver 2: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) *King Ottmar of Willendorf holds a contest to celebrate his daughter's birthday, offering a royal favor to the creator of the finest doll in the realm. Among hundreds of submissions, Elzevir the Dollmaker's entry is proclaimed the winner. Elzevir takes a lock of the Princess' hair in payment. Warp's answers from Amy at the Eidos Forums (by blincoln) **Elzevir traps the Princess' soul in a burlap and silk doll. The Princess becomes lifeless, plunging Ottmar into despair. *Coorhagen, Kain's home city, is struck by the plague. *By now, the vampire race has been devastated by the crusades of Moebius's mercenary army, and Vorador is among the last survivors of his kind. *''(~50)'' Kain departs Coorhagen, embarking on a journey across Nosgoth. **Mortanius recruits a band of assassins to murder Kain. **At night, Kain attempts to seek shelter at a tavern in Ziegsturhl, but is denied entry. Forced to the road, he is slain by the hired assassins. **Kain's body is interred in his mausoleum in the Cemetery. Blood Omen era (Span of ~1 year) *''(During, or shortly before, ~0)'' Azimuth begins summoning and unleashing Demons on Avernus, setting the city on fire. Trade from Avernus to Vasserbünde ceases. *''(~0)'' In the Underworld, Mortanius offers Kain the opportunity to avenge himself. Kain hastily accepts, and is reborn as a vampire. **Kain awakes in his mausoleum, and kills his assassins near Ziegsturhl. Informed by Mortanius that the true culprits still live, and seeking a cure to his vampirism, he meets the specter of Ariel at the Pillars of Nosgoth, who instructs him to destroy the corrupt Circle of Nine and restore the Pillars. **Kain travels through Nachtholm and Vasserbünde, and infiltrates Nupraptor's Retreat. He beheads Nupraptor and returns the head to the Pillars. The Pillar of the Mind is restored. **Passing through the plague-ridden Coorhagen, Kain travels to northern Nosgoth and flies to Malek's Bastion. He attempts to destroy Malek, but fails. Kain travels to the Oracle's Cave in search of a means to defeat Malek. **Moebius, posing as the Oracle of Nosgoth, advises Kain to seek Vorador in the Termogent Forest. **Kain meets Vorador, who gives Kain his Signet Ring. **Kain travels to Dark Eden and kills Bane and DeJoule, while Vorador destroys Malek. **Kain returns Bane's Antler Headdress, DeJoule's Insulating Cloak and Malek's Helmet to the Pillars. The Pillars of Conflict, Energy and Nature are restored. **Kain journeys south through Avernus. In Avernus Cathedral, he discovers the Soul Reaver, and claims it for his own. With the Reaver, he slays Azimuth, and obtains the time-streaming device she stole from Moebius. **Kain returns Azimuth's Eye to the Pillars. The Pillar of Dimension is restored. **Moebius coerces Kain to travel back in time and assassinate William the Just. Kain utilizes the time-streaming device, departing for the pre-Blood Omen era. → ** → Having killed William the Just, Kain returns to the Blood Omen era to find that his own actions enabled the renewed vampire purge headed by Moebius. Traveling south of Stahlberg, he watches as Moebius's mob publicly executes Vorador, the last vampire in Nosgoth (besides Kain). ** Fighting Moebius's mercenary army and illusory enemies conjured by Moebius, Kain defeats and beheads the Time Streamer. ** Kain travels to the Pillars at Mortanius's invitation. He witnesses Mortanius slay Anarcrothe in battle, then battles Mortanius himself. The Dark Entity emerges as Mortanius dies; Kain defeats it. He returns Moebius's Hourglass, Anarcrothe's Scales and Mortanius's Death Orb to the Pillars, and the Pillars of Time, States and Death are restored. ** The collapse of the Pillars: Ariel finally informs Kain that he is the Balance Guardian, and he is left with a choice: sacrifice himself to restore the Pillar of Balance and Nosgoth, or refuse the sacrifice and trigger the Pillars' total collapse. Kain chooses the latter option, electing to rule Nosgoth in its damnation. Post-Blood Omen era (Span of ~500 years) *''(~0)'' Embracing his vampirism, Kain rejoices, establishing a throne at the ruined Pillar of Balance. *''(~500)'' The raising of the lieutenants: Kain infiltrates the Tomb of the Sarafan, raising the six Sarafan commanders to act as his vampire lieutenants. Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon and Melchiah are reborn in respective order. Soul Reaver era (Accountable span of ~2000 years) *''(~0)'' A new vampire race is born as the lieutenants sire the Razielim, Dumahim, Melchahim, Rahabim, Turelim and Zephonim clans. Kain's empire is founded. Soul Reaver: Background Story at Dark Chronicle (by Marie Tryhorn) **The vampires begin to destroy Nosgoth's major human kingdoms. Vampire hunters rise to counter their menace. *''(At an indeterminate point "centuries" before ~2000)'' In defiance of Kain's empire, human architects construct what will become the Silenced Cathedral, in hopes of wiping out the vampire race by blasting a deadly hymn across Nosgoth. **At an indeterminate point during or after its construction, the vampires (chiefly Zephon and the Zephonim) slaughter the Cathedral's inhabitants and take it for their own. *''(~100)'' By now, the vampires consider humanity "tamed" and "thoroughly domesticated". At an indeterminate point, the Abbey and the City become two of the last vestiges of safety for the human race in Nosgoth. *The Sanctuary of the Clans is constructed as a shrine around the Pillars of Nosgoth by slaves. The Smokestack is also built. *Growing increasingly bored over time, Kain and the lieutenants pit the lesser vampires of the empire against each other for their own amusement. The Council is formally founded. *''(After the Blood Omen era, but prior to ~1000)'' The Abyss manifests in the Lake of the Dead. **Kain's descendants utilize the Abyss as an execution ground for traitors and weaklings in their society. *''("Centuries" before ~2000, and before ~1000 at the latest)'' Kain finds the Chronoplast in the Oracle's Cave, and uses its mechanisms to discover his own future, Nosgoth's history, and the nature of time, destiny and free will. *''("Centuries" before ~2000, and most likely before ~1000)'' Dumah and the Dumahim retreat into Nosgoth's northern wilderness. The mountain stronghold which will later become known as the Ruined City is constructed, and becomes home to the Dumahim. *At an indeterminate point, Raziel and his clan establish a stronghold which serves as their clan territory. *At an indeterminate point, the Priestess is born. **At an indeterminate point, Vampire worshippers begin to operate in Nosgoth under the leadership of the Priestess, and deify Kain. *Raziel surpasses Kain in stages of pupation, growing bat-like wings. *''(~1000)'' While feeding on a female, Raziel suddenly realizes his captive is not human. She reveals herself to be a construct of the elder gods, and tells Raziel of his imminent destiny to be destroyed in the Abyss and reborn to exact revenge on Kain. Raziel slaughters the construct and burns her remains. ** Kain and the Council meet at the Sanctuary of the Clans. Raziel reveals his wings, which are brutally ripped from his body by Kain. ** Raziel's execution: The members of the Council travel to the Lake of the Dead, where, on Kain's orders, Dumah and Turel cast Raziel into the Abyss. Turel assumes Raziel's former position as the empire's second-in-command. ** Kain abandons his empire searching for a way to restore Nosgoth. The leaderless empire fragments as the Vampire clans turn on each other. *''(By "Centuries" after ~1000)'' The Razielim, heavily persecuted by the other clans evolve wings, but quickly begin to devolve. ** The humans seize their opportunity to strike back and attempt to free their race from vampire rule. Cities are rebuilt, skills are relearned and humanity progresses to the point where it becomes a potent threat, launching a devastating attack on the empire itself. ** Realizing the threat they are faced with, the warring vampire clans band together once again and a new War for Nosgoth begins... *Whether eradicated by Kain or absented for other reasons, Raziel's clan ostensibly disappears from Nosgoth. Raziel's Clan Territory becomes derelict. *Nosgoth is increasingly wracked by cataclysms as a result of the Pillars' destruction and the vampires' practices, and its landscape becomes significantly warped over time. As part of these upheavals, the Abbey is drowned by deluges, and the Tomb of the Sarafan is exposed and becomes accessible. *Kain's surviving lieutenants and their clans continue to devolve. They become practically unrecognizable as the centuries pass. **Becoming increasingly ghoul-like to their own displeasure, Melchiah and the Melchahim relocate to the Necropolis, and begin replenishing their ranks from the long-dead corpses therein. **Becoming increasingly spider-like, Zephon's body gradually becomes one with the Silenced Cathedral. **Becoming increasingly piscatorial, Rahab and the Rahabim gradually overcome their natural vulnerability to water, gaining the ability to swim. They retreat from the surface to dwell in the Drowned Abbey. *''("Centuries" before ~2000, but after ~1000)'' The vampire hunters launch a successful surprise attack on Dumah's mountain stronghold, decimating the Dumahim, and slaying Dumah himself. **Leaderless, the few surviving Dumahim are reduced to roving scavengers. *Rahab is personally informed by Kain that he is destined to die at Raziel's hands. *''(During, or shortly before, ~2000)'' Vampire hunters attack the Silenced Cathedral, and are repelled by the Zephonim. One makes it to Zephon's lair with a flamethrower, but is severed in half by Zephon. *''(~2000)No direct informations is given in game for the length of time Raziel was imprisoned in the Abyss, however in deleted dialogue, the Elder God is directly questioned by Raziel on the subject and responds ''"A millennium, or a moment? We who stand outside the rim of time dwell not in past or future ages; there is only the now" - perhaps suggesting a figure close to a thousand years. Subsequently a Blood Omen 2 developer interview suggested that the main gameplay events of that title occurred "1600 years before Raziel emerges from the void to begin LOK:SR" - indirectly implying that Raziel was in the Abyss for 500 years. The developers of Nosgoth have since indicated that the cut dialogue is the more valid figure for the time-frame and that the true figure is closer to 1000 years than 500. After suffering relentless agony in the Abyss, Raziel is resurrected as a wraith by the Elder God. Now the Elder's symbiotic agent, he is obliged to destroy Kain and his brethren in his quest for vengeance. Blood Omen 2 Q&A at GameSpot (by Sam Newman) ** Guided out of the Underworld by the Elder God, Raziel explores the wasteland of Nosgoth. Beyond the Sanctuary of the Clans and the Abyss, he is enraged to discover his clan territory desolate, his clan apparently dead. ** Witnessing Melchahim murdering a human, Raziel pervades the Necropolis, and reaches Melchiah's lair. He kills Melchiah and devours his soul, attaining the ability to phase through gates. ** At the Elder God's urging, Raziel infiltrates the Sanctuary of the Clans, and encounters Kain awaiting him at the Pillars of Nosgoth. They battle, and Kain strikes Raziel with the Soul Reaver. The Soul Reaver shatters on impact. Satisfied at this outcome, Kain departs. ** Raziel succumbs to his wounds and slips into the Spectral Realm, where he inextricably bonds with the spirit liberated from the Soul Reaver - the Wraith Blade. He meets Ariel, who agrees to conspire with him in ensuring Kain's destruction. ** Raziel ascends the Silenced Cathedral and reaches Zephon's lair. Using the deceased vampire hunter's flamethrower and Zephon's eggs, he immolates Zephon. By consuming Zephon's soul, he gains the ability to scale walls. ** Raziel infiltrates the Tomb of the Sarafan, and rediscovers the Council's forgotten heritage as the former leaders of the Sarafan brotherhood. Beneath the Tomb, he destroys the Tomb Guardian and obtains the telekinetic force projectile ability. ** In the Drowned Abbey, Raziel makes use of sunlight to destroy Rahab, and gains the ability to swim from devouring his brother's soul. ** Raziel reaches Dumah's throne room, and pulls the stakes from Dumah's chest, reviving him. Luring Dumah to a Furnace, Raziel destroys him and devours his soul, attaining the constrict ability. ** In pursuit of Kain, Raziel journeys through the Oracle's Cave and into the Chronoplast. He witnesses his own recent past and potential future in the Chronoplast visions. ** Raziel reaches the heart of the Chronoplast complex, where Kain awaits. He battles, but fails to defeat, Kain, who activates the Chronoplast's portal, and passes through to the pre-Blood Omen era. Raziel follows. → (Total span of at least ~6000 years) Annotations References (second timeline)